A Prada ad campaign featuring 14-year-old actor Hailee Steinfeld, star of the Coen brothers film True Grit, in a potentially life-threatening situation has been banned by the advertising regulator.
The press campaign, for Prada-owned luxury brand Miu Miu, featured Steinfeld sitting on railway tracks looking like she was upset and may have been crying.
The Advertising Standards Authority launched an investigation to assess whether the ad was irresponsible because it showed a child in an unsafe location.
Prada Retail UK, responding on behalf of the Miu Miu brand, said that the campaign was "part of a serious, high-fashion campaign" aimed at adult women.
The company said that the campaign, which was shot by well-known photographer and film-maker Bruce Weber, was meant to look like it was "based on the set of an imaginary film".
Weber's shots were meant to look like the actor had been captured in photographs between takes on the imaginary film.
The company also said that in the images it was clear that Steinfeld "could have easily moved from where she was sitting because she was not restrained in any way".
However, the ASA ruled that because the ad showed Steinfeld, who was only 14, in a potentially hazardous situation on a railway track, it was "irresponsible".
The ASA therefore banned the ad.
Prada ad featuring True Grit star banned for being 'irresponsible' | Media | guardian.co.uk
Prada ad featuring True Grit star banned for being 'irresponsible'
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